Description
International service-learning programs (or ISL programs in short), grounded under the Transformative learning theory, have long shown promising results in enhancing college students’ development. However, in recent years, scholars have begun to take notice of the number of conceptual and methodological deficiencies that the ISL body of research stuffers from. This study serves to remedy this void by adopting a quasi-experimental design in understanding the developmental benefits accrued by college students who joined one of three ISL programs (Yangon, Mandalay, and Cambodia). The study, more specifically, sought to understand the role of service settings and social context to the transformative process.The three ISL trips, two to Myanmar (N = 9 to Mandalay; N = 10 to Yangon) and one to Cambodia (N = 13 to Phnom Penh), was found to help volunteers increase their understanding of social issues (social self-efficacy), personal insight (political awareness), and cognitive development (communication, interpersonal skills, and problem-solving skills). There were shared benefits observed as well as case-specific benefits found from the results. Suggestions on empowering college students, tackling their emotional aspects, and adopting a non-hierarchical relationship proved to be beneficial in facilitating college students to transform. Further suggestions on practices and research were discussed.
| Period | 31 May 2017 |
|---|---|
| Event title | The 6th Asia-Pacific Regional Conference on Service-Learning : "Educating The Heart: Nurturing a Fruitful Life Through Service-Learning" |
| Event type | Conference |
| Location | Surabaya, IndonesiaShow on map |
| Degree of Recognition | International |